Olathe School District

The Olathe Unified School District is one of the major school districts in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and is one of the larger school districts in the state of Kansas. There are nearly 30,000 students enrolled in the district, which operates 5 high schools, 9 middle schools, and 34 elementary schools, as well as a number of additional educational and support facilities.HistoryThe district was created in 1965 from the consolidation of the Countryside, Meadowlane, Mount Zion, Olathe, and Pleasant View districts. Wayne Fick became the first superintendent of the newly unified district. At the time of its creation, there were 3687 students attending a single high school, junior high school, and 5 elementary schools.M.L. Winters was named superintendent in 1968, and served in that role for 23 years until 1991 - the longest tenure of any superintendent in Olathe history. During that time, district enrollment increased from 4433 to 15,357 students, and 22 new facilities were constructed or rebuilt. The district continued to grow at a rapid pace under the leadership of superintendents Ron Wimmer (1991-2005) and Patricia All (2005-2010, 2016-17), Marlin Berry (2010-2016), and John Allison (2017- ). In 2010, the district recorded an official enrollment of 27,999, becoming the second largest school district in Kansas.Beginning in 2009, the district launched a new K-5, 6-8, 9-12 grade configuration. Prior to this time, students in grades 10-12 were assigned to high schools, grades 7-9 to junior high schools, and grades K-6 in elementary schools. As part of this transition, all junior highs were rebranded as middle schools. The transition to this new configuration was completed in 2011. In August 2014, it was announced that construction would begin on Olathe's fifth high school, Olathe West High School.